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split and slide...

Need some advice here,

I have this habit to slide too much at the net, and eventually ending up by splitting my legs until my balls touch the ground. It might look painful but i'm that flexible. However i still get my shot over the net. I know it might sound stupid but is it because I'm trying the shot that I'm not supposed to? Or i'm too slow to get at the net? Or should I be always close to the net when in defence? Sometime i have no choice because of the opponents have crazy sharp drops. In many case, I need some pointers like drills or something to avoid those slides.

thats wicked i would love to play a game with you and use a lot of dropshots to see you sack yourself on the floor repeatedly. IMO, it's too cool a problem to fix; the level of talent you posess is a precious gem in the badminton world . In all seriousness though, you're probably just reacting to the shot a little late and perhaps not lunging properly (checkout some other threads for information on footwork). The other possibility is that you're often playing in a dusty gym with skate shoes or something. The lack of traction combined with your enthusiasm for the game causes you to end up doing the splits when you lunge to the net.

The problem with doing the splits is that your recovery from the shot is limited and that sets up your opponent if they are alert.In desperation situations yes but if it becomes a habit then you are pulling your base too deep or as mentioned are slow on your response time for drops.Although it might seem cool it does nothing when playing advanced opponents.I have played a few who could do the splits and it never phased me one bit as they fell over sideways trying to recover.Always nice to be flexible though as perhaps it guards you from injury which plagues the rest of us.

The gym floor and the shoes you wear have much affect on your play. If you could get ahold of some cheap court shoes that would spice up your game play by a bit. Also, always try to be one step ahead of your opponent that way you wont have to do rush shots like going to the other side of the whole court just to hit a drop or something.

So I guess there's nothing wrong with body launching, I mean even Lin Dan does it and so are other pros. It's just that I used to play in single and it requires a lot of abrupt stops at the net, most pros stops at the service line because they're quick enough, but others like (who are slower) have to stretch even to split.

The main problem is, I still do split when playing double, it's like almost a reflex. Looking at the big picture, I don't think I have what it takes to play in mixed. At least not yet... give me some advices guys!!

If you are doing the splits then the floor is too slippy, if you can do the splits from sliding your front foot at the net think of what you can achieve if you buckle over on your ankle if the floor is too slippery. Don't risk your legs on a slippy floor!!

The proper footwork is a lunge on your racket leg where your knee should be positioned in a level in between your toes and heel.